B1.1 Human impacts on habitats, from different perspectives
Example
A wetland is drained for houses. Describe the impact from the view of a frog, a heron and a family buying a house.
- Draining: the frogs and herons lose the breeding and feeding ground the wetland was; the family gains a home, and loses the flood protection the wetland gave.
Example
Nearby, a school plants a meadow and puts up nest boxes. Describe each impact.
- Meadow and boxes: birds and insects gain nesting places and shelter; the school gains a place to learn outdoors.
- One change, several results — positive for some, negative for others.
B1.2 When a species is lost
Example
Explain what happens to a pond community if its frogs disappear.
- Frogs eat insects, so with no frogs, insect numbers climb. Herons and snakes eat frogs, so with no frogs, they go hungry or leave.
- The chains that ran through the frog break, and the web reroutes or thins.
Example
Name actions that prevent the loss.
- Prevention: keep road salt out of the pond, because the water turns saltier than its frogs can tolerate; protect the wetland edges; build a tunnel under the road frogs cross.
Summary
- One human change has different results for different living things.
- Losing a species breaks the chains through it.
- Salt, drainage and roads harm; edges, tunnels and planting protect.